1. Field of the Invention
Exemplary embodiments of the present invention are directed to a touch screen substrate and a method of manufacturing a touch screen substrate. More particularly, exemplary embodiments of the present invention are directed to a touch screen substrate of a resistive type and a method of manufacturing a touch screen substrate.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, a display panel includes a display substrate having a signal line, a thin-film transistor (TFT) and a pixel electrode, an opposing substrate facing the display substrate, and a display element interposed between the display substrate and the opposing substrate. For example, the display element may include liquid crystals controlling the light transmittance according to a direction and/or an intensity of an electric field. The display panel may further include a cell gap spacer which maintains a cell gap between the display substrate and the opposing substrate.
The display panel may function as a touch panel which recognizes position data via sensing an outer pressure. A display substrate of a display panel functioning as a touch panel further includes a first sensing electrode and a sensor line separated from the signal line. The sensor line is spaced apart from the signal line, and the first sensing electrode is connected to the sensor line. When an outer pressure is applied to the opposing substrate, a second sensing electrode connected to a common electrode of the opposing substrate contacts the first sensing electrode, and then position data of a contact point are transmitted to a central processing unit through the sensor line. The display substrate of the display panel functioning as a touch panel further includes a touch spacer having a height lower than the cell gap spacer. Either the first sensing electrode or the second sensing electrode may be formed on the touch spacer to easily make contact with the first sensing electrode and the second sensing electrode under a relatively low pressure condition. Thus, touch sensitivity may be enhanced.
In general, the touch spacer is formed by a photolithography process similar to the process for forming the cell gap spacer. An electrode layer is formed on a substrate including the cell gap spacer and the touch spacer, and then the sensor line formed on the cell gap spacer is insulated from the common electrode. To insulate the sensor line and the common electrode, the electrode layer is patterned, a first insulation pattern is formed between the electrode layer and the sensor line, or a second insulation pattern is formed between the electrode layer and the common electrode. However, the above-mentioned insulating method includes forming a plurality of layers and patterning the layers, and performing a photolithography process for at least once, and thus the method of manufacturing the display panel has a relatively long manufacturing time that increases the manufacturing cost of the display panel.